Hockey: McMeakim lights the lamp in Penncrest loss

By MATT SMITH

Friday, January 11, 2013

ASTON -- Alexa McMeakim took a stroll from the boys dressing room to the girls once Penncrest coach Steve Mescanti completed his post-game pep talk following a 4-1 loss to Lower Merion at IceWorks Friday night.

It's a walk McMeakim makes before and after every game. She's playing in a boys' world as the only female player on the Lions' varsity hockey team.

The reason? Penncrest is one of several Delaware County schools that does not field a girls ice hockey club. Thus, for McMeakim to pursue her dream of playing scholastic pucks, she had to try out for the boys team. She was on the team last winter, and is back at it again this season. She saw significant ice time Friday night in an ICSHL Central A and B crossover battle, and provided the lone highlight for Penncrest in an otherwise forgettable setback.

The senior forward/defenseman launched a quick wrist shot about 10 feet in front of the net late in the third period. The puck sailed past goaltender Breandan Colgan, who was outstanding between the pipes. Though the celebration was subdued -- the Lions were still down by three with 5:27 left to play -- McMeakim had reason to jump around if she so chose. It was her first goal of the season.

"I scored last year on this team, but this year, yeah, it was my first," McMeakim said. "The guys are all really nice to me and make me feel a part of the team."

When she's not suiting up for the Lions, the 17-year-old plays club for the Philadelphia Quakers of the Mid-Atlantic Women's Hockey Association. A longtime skater and hockey fan -- she played roller hockey at Marple Sports Arena as a little kid -- McMeakim got her first crack at organized ice hockey as a seventh grader. She hasn't looked back.

While it can be intimidating for a girl, McMeakim welcomes the physical nature of the sport. After all, she would never have tried out for Mescanti's club, traditionally a Central League power in the ICSHL, had she not come to terms with the fact that she would be playing a different brand of hockey compared to ICSHL girls varsity. The girls league, which features only a handful of programs, does not allow checking or hard hits of any kind. Friday night, the referees twice whistled Lower Merion skaters for infractions as a result of a hard check on McMeakim. The calls were sketchy, which begged the question: Does McMeakim (and all female ICSHL hockey players, for that matter) receive special treatment? It's a good question, one that Lower Merion players and coaches were asking aloud.

"She shouldn't be touching the puck, then," one coach blurted out from the bench.

McMeakim is used to the judgement and condescension by now. She may be considered "just a girl" and treated lightly when she's on the ice. Some opposing players may be hesitant to get physical with her, but McMeakim insists she is prepared for what can come at any moment.

"I'm a little hesitant, but I'm OK," she said. "The hits aren't that bad. Maybe they look pretty bad, but I'm not getting hurt and I'm staying out there.

"Sometimes they do (take it easy on me) and other times some guys are like, 'She's a girl. Let's hit her.'"

But the experience has been second to none.

"Absolutely great," she said. "You have to be quick. You have to pass the puck a lot quicker and keep your head up. For girls games, you can skate and then stop and look for where your pass is going. It's definitely different in that way, the way the game is played. The speed is a lot better and faster for boys hockey."

Mescanti has found ways to give McMeakim more playing time over the course of the season. She has benefitted from other players being sidelined due to injury and other absences. Friday, for instance, the Lions dressed only three defensemen, but Mescanti said she has been a top-four blue liner over the last month.

"We don't have a lot of depth defensively, but she holds her own. She really does," Mescanti said. "When you talk to her and you're around her often, she has a great disposition. She's always smiling, has a great attitude and she loves the game. The nice thing about her is she's not new to hockey. She's played for years and plays club at a high level. The game part of it, the girls game is very different. There's no checking ... the speed is different for her. But she battles and she always has her head in the game. She asks questions about what she can do here or there or how she can improve. She's really fun to watch play and be around."

Unfortunately for the Lions, by the time McMeakim got her team on the scoreboard, they were all but finished. Colgan registered 13 saves and had plenty of help in front of him. The Aces received solo tallies from four players -- Evan Goldstein, Evan Wolf, Aaron Bowen and Brett Katz. Goldstein recorded his Central B-leading 28th point of the campaign.

In the third period, things got chippy, and the Lions had five players in the penalty box ... at the same time. Mescanti said the effort simply wasn't there.

"Colgan is a great goalie, so you're not going to get a cheap goal. You really have to bring it offensively," he said. "We were shorthanded, which didn't help. But we were shorthanded against Garnet Valley (Dec. 21) and played very inspired hockey. Tonight, we were shorthanded and played very uninspired hockey."

Central A

Springfield 5, Radnor 3

The Cougars broke a 1-1 deadlock with three unanswered goals in the second period. Ryan Brawley, Tom Coll, Dan Madonna and Tyler Riddle each potted goals for unbeaten Springfield (9-0-1).